Additional Information on clothes
White: A Special Colour
Spring and summer bring out the brightest of colours - reds, pinks, yellows, purples, blues, and especially whites. If you want to keep your whites bright and looking good, read on.
In their natural state, many fabrics have an off-white or yellowish cast and are, therefore, often bleached to remove their natural colour. Manufacturers often add optical brighteners which make fabrics appear whiter and brighter. Occasionally, these agents break down, causing the fabric to revert to its natural off-white or yellowish colour.
Exposure to light can break down fluorescent brighteners, causing the areas not exposed to light to be unaffected. Thus, the front of a sweater laid out to dry in the sun may turn yellow while them back remains white. Once this happens, it usually can't be corrected.
Greying of whites is another story. Dingy-looking whites are most often caused by incomplete soil removal over an extended period of time despite repeated washing. This can be caused by any or all of the following:
- Too little detergent
- Overloading the washing machine
- Water temperature too low
- Sorting clothes incorrectly
Stain Removal Techniques
Do you ever wonder what happens after you drop your clothes off to a drycleaner. Just one of the stops your garment makes as it moves through our plant is at a stain removal station.
Stain removal is half science and half art, but all timing. The sooner the dry cleaner gets a stained garment, the more likely that the stains can be removed. The most powerful tool a stain removal specialist has is a firm understanding chemistry, fibres and fabrics, and the characteristics and attributes of stains, aided by an arsenal of tools.
Litmus & pH Papers are used to ensure that all agents have been flushed from the fabric and to test the acidity and alkalinity of the stained area.
Blotters are used to check if the fabric is colourfast before using a stain removal agent.
Spatulas often made from bone, stainless steel, or wood are used to gently work the stain removal agents into a stain to help loosen it.
White Towels are used to contain the area being worked on to a minimal size, prevent the stain from spreading, and test for colourfastness.
A Steam Gun is used to flush stains from the fabric and also to dry the fabric after the stain has been removed.
Stain Removal Agents are vital to the success of the dry cleaner. There are several types of agents available. Used singularly or in combination they can usually get the job done.
Brushes are used for tamping to help the stain removal agents penetrate the fabric.